Peter Andrews’ Natural Sequence Farming

Mulloon Creek Natural Sequence Farming Demonstration

It was back in April 2006 when our restoration work began on the creek. And it all started with Peter Andrews. Peter, much to his surprise, has become somewhat of a celebrity. Over the last 5 years, he’s been on a series of TV programs showing everyone how they can rehydrate the Australian landscape simply by slowing down the water in our rivers and creeks. The project that we are doing here is the first National Landcare demonstration site, so everyone is watching very closely to see the results. It’s only early days, but already the results are fantastic. The floodplains are more hydrated, the creek banks are growing vegetation and are no longer just eroded gullies - and you can hear the sounds of frogs again. At Mulloon Creek we find it somewhat amusing that people refer to Peter’s ideas as new. The reality is that all we’re really doing is attempting to recreate the conditions that were naturally there before our European influence changed the landscape.

Peter says he aims to:

• Reverse erosion (encourage deposition) within the stream and on the floodplain using strategically placed and designed structures and copious vegetation to de-energise and filter high flows.
• Restore the natural hydrology by raising the level of the stream, ultimately re-establishing the functional connectivity between the stream and the floodplain.
• Restore the natural hydrology by raising the level of the stream, ultimately re-establishing the functional connectivity between the stream and the floodplain.
• Rejuvenate the biodiversity and fertility in the stream, on the floodplain and more broadly.

Sounds heavy when put in scientific talk like that, doesn’t it! If you want to read more serious stuff like this, I recommend you have a look at www.naturalsequenceassociation.org.au or read Peter’s book “Back from the brink” In simple terms … we’re growing trees and plants in and around the creek and putting big rocks in to slow the water down. It’s not like building a dam that holds the water, it still flows through and down to the neighbors properties. But, what happens when you direct the water into leaky weirs and chains of ponds is that by slowing it down, the land has time to rehydrate. When water is held in the land it doesn’t evaporate like it does in a dam and it continuously nourishes all of the life in the land. It’s heaps better than just letting it tear down at a hundred miles an hour, creating worse erosion and ending up in the ocean. What a waste - AND no water in the creeks means no home for frogs and fish and all our other friends in the waterways!!!

Funding assistance provided by The Australian Government National Landcare Program and Mulloon Creek Natural Farms.

Other Partners: Southern Rivers CMA, Upper Shoalhaven Landcare, The Natural Sequence Association (Upper Shoalhaven Chapter) Inc.

Other Important Stakeholders: Department of Environment and Climate Change, Department of Primary Industries, Sydney Catchment Authority, Department of Lands, Palerang Shire Council, Australian Government, The Yuin and the Ngunnawal people, The Upper Shoalhaven community and beyond, Urban water users.